My mom controlled every aspect of my life: my clothes, friends, and even college choice. But when I found love and planned my wedding, she crossed the line. What she did to ruin my big day was a betrayal I could never forget.
My dad was absent from my life, and my mom raised me alone. I never questioned her strict control, believing it was for my own good. But as I grew older, I craved the freedom my friends had. Despite my desires, I stayed close to my mom because she often said, “All my happiness is in you.”
When I applied to New York University, she told me I didn’t get in. Later, I found out she had hidden the acceptance letter. Confronting her, she revealed she kept me close out of fear I’d leave her. I stayed home, giving up my dreams to keep her happy.
Living with my mom became suffocating. She knew every detail of my life, which made relationships impossible. Once, she even reported that my boyfriend had kidnapped me. But eventually, she accepted Colin, who proposed to me after a year of dating. However, she took control of every wedding detail, even picking the guest list.
When Colin and I planned to move out after marriage, my mom couldn’t handle it. She insisted I stay with her, but Colin and I decided to live together. She was furious, but I thought she’d come around. Then, she fell ill, and we postponed the wedding to pay for her treatment.
But when I took her to a new doctor, I learned she wasn’t sick. She’d faked it to prevent me from leaving her. I confronted her, but she couldn’t accept that I needed to live my own life. Finally, I made the painful decision to leave.
When I packed to leave, she begged me not to go, but I couldn’t stay in that environment any longer. Colin and I left, and though I wasn’t sure if I’d cut ties forever, I knew I needed peace. It was time to make my own choices.